There are at least two problems with the Apple AirPods Pro 3
Apple’s newly announced, soon to launch, AirPods Pro 3 have been greeted enthusiastically by a crowd prone to enthusiastically greeting Apple products. Even before they are available to buy, praise has been heaped upon the latest incarnation of the iPhone maker’s wireless earbuds – but it is not all good news.
While the proclaimed audio quality is laudable, while the new features sound impressive, there are definitely issues with the AirPods Pro 3. And, no, we’re not talking about the price.
There are two problems that are immediately apparent. The first relates to what is arguably the biggest reason Apple is giving for people to invest their hard-earned cash in the AirPods Pro 3 in the first place: Live Translation.
What’s the problem with Live Translation, the feature that sounds as though it could change the face of travel and business for millions of people? The issue is that a huge number of people simply won’t be able to use Live Translation, and it is not clear when that might change.
Who is not going to get Live Translation when AirPods Pro 3 launch day arrives? The EU, of course. A support document on the Apple web site reads:
Apple Intelligence: Live Translation with AirPods
Live Translation with AirPods is not available if you are in the EU and your Apple Account Country or Region is also in the EU.
The company goes on to list the supported languages:
- English (United Kingdom)
- English (United States)
- French (France) - not available in the EU
- German (Germany) - not available in the EU
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Spanish (Spain) - not available in the EU
So there is the strange situation that someone from France may take a trip to Germany and be unable to use Live Translation even though both German and French are supported languages.
AirPod Pro 3 limitations
TechCrunch reports Apple as saying that the delay is down to “interoperability requirements of the Digital Markets Act (DMA)”. Apple also says that “other legal requirements around user data protection were not a factor here”.
It is not clear how long this could take to resolve, so it is impossible to say when the EU will be able to make use of this feature.
The other issue – although undeniably a less significant or impactful one – is that the AirPods Pro 3 will not include a charging cable. Take a look at the specifications page on the Apple site for AirPods Pro 3 at the In the Box section
- AirPods Pro 3
- MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C) with speaker and lanyard loop
- Silicone ear tips (five sizes: XXS, XS, S, M, L)
- Documentation
- USB‑C Charge Cable sold separately
Now while there are many strong arguments in favor of this – everyone has a surplus of USB-C cables, it’s good for the environment, it saves money – it also feels a bit cheap of Apple. The lack of cable might not be a massive issue, but it would have been nice to have a new one included with such an expensive purchase.